In a festive treat for eagle-eyed fans, the BBC's Christmas Day animation The Scarecrows' Wedding featured a secret cameo from one of children's literature's most famous beasts. The Gruffalo was cleverly hidden within the half-hour special, continuing a beloved tradition started by illustrator Axel Scheffler.
The Hunt for the Hidden Monster
The tradition of hiding characters, known as "easter eggs," in different adaptations is a hallmark of the work of author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler. Fans have previously spotted the Gruffalo as a fish in Tiddler, a decoration in Zog, and even as an alien in The Smeds and the Smoos. This year, the challenge was to find him in the love story between scarecrows Betty O'Barley and Harry O'Hay, narrated by actress Sophie Okonedo.
The elusive monster was hiding in plain sight on a tractor next to the field where the two main characters live. A close inspection of the vehicle reveals a brand name plaque reading 'Gruff-Tor', which features a small metal image of the Gruffalo himself. The blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment appeared less than two minutes into the episode and again around the eight-minute mark.
A Storyline Change Sparks Debate
The animation, which boasted an all-star voice cast including Rob Brydon, Jessie Buckley, and Domhnall Gleeson, required a significant plot alteration from the original 2014 book. For the first time in 13 adaptations, Julia Donaldson agreed to change a key story point after discussions with Magic Light Pictures, the studio behind the animation.
In the book, the sinister scarecrow Reginald Rake starts a field fire by accidentally dropping his lit cigar, with Betty explicitly stating "smoking is bad for you." However, contemporary guidelines for children's films prohibited showing anyone smoking. Donaldson initially resisted the change during a lunch meeting, but later reconsidered.
"I went home and went straight to the computer," Donaldson explained. She reworked the scene so that Reginald Rake starts the fire while cooking pink and white marshmallows, a detail she felt worked well with the characters' colourful attire. Book versions of The Scarecrows' Wedding will continue to feature the original cigar storyline.
Creating a Classic Love Story
Donaldson revealed that she consciously sought to create a strong female lead in Betty O'Barley, following a series of stories with male protagonists like Zog and The Highway Rat. She described the plot as a "Hollywood love story" reminiscent of a light Italian opera, with a humble hero, a heroine, and a seductive peddler causing drama.
The process of writing the story was lengthy, particularly working out the journey that Harry undertakes. The resulting Christmas special, packed with Scheffler's detailed illustrations, offered families a new challenge: spotting the hidden Gruffalo while enjoying a timeless tale of romance and rivalry.
